What started with a second-hand laptop, a cup of tea and biscuits on the edge of his grandmother’s bed has become a deeply personal cinematic journey for writer and creator Enrico Hartzenberg.

Determined to tell a story that mattered, Hartzenberg’s Liefde Is Rooi will have its World Premiere on 23 September at Ster-Kinekor N1 City, before screening at selected Ster-Kinekor cinemas nationwide.

The story first came to life on stage at the Toyota US Woordfees in 2018, where it earned a nomination for Best Ensemble. Now, Hartzenberg has reimagined the acclaimed stage production as a powerful short film, featuring a talented South African cast including our talented Meggan-Lee Johnstone; Sanchia Davids, Joshua Vraagom, SAFTA-winning actor Abduragman Adams and acclaimed actress Lee-Ann van Rooi.

Following the deaths of her parents, Prudence, the youngest of three siblings, becomes convinced that something is terribly wrong. As her grieving brother, James, begins behaving strangely and insists that “grief doen slegte dinge aan die memory”, Prudence sets out to uncover the truth — before the secrets buried within their family destroy them all.

At its heart, Liefde Is Rooi explores grief, family, love, sacrifice, generational trauma and the devastating consequences of secrets left unspoken. It is a story about what happens when grief becomes intertwined with memory, and when protecting those we love can mean confronting painful truths.

Turning the acclaimed stage production into a film came with its own challenges, not least of which was funding. Rather than allowing financial limitations to prevent the story from being told, Hartzenberg took matters into his own hands and self-funded the project.

For Hartzenberg, the decision was about more than simply making a film. It was about creating space for stories and perspectives that deserve to be heard.

“As a young Coloured man, I believe my dreams are important, my perspective has value, and my voice deserves a place in our creative landscape.”

From its humble beginnings on the edge of his grandmother’s bed to its journey onto the cinema screen, Liefde Is Rooi represents Hartzenberg’s determination to tell stories on his own terms — and his belief that financial limitations should never determine whose stories get to be told.

Liefde Is Rooi premieres 23 September 2026 at Ster-Kinekor N1 City, followed by screenings at selected Ster-Kinekor cinemas nationwide.